The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that American Idol is looking to downsize, making it a challenge to hire high priced talent for the judges’ panel.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the show is looking to downsize significantly for season 12, cutting budgets, staff and, of course, salaries, the latter of which will make recruiting top pop talent (like aFergie, Nicki Minaj, or Will.I.Am) to fill vacancies all the more challenging.
If this report is true, it would lend some credence to the Adam Lambert rumors. While as a media figure, Adam is buzzy, he is still a music industry newbie struggling to establish his career. Therefore, as a newcomer, and one who appears to be eager to take the job, he’d come pretty cheap.
On the other hand, how will Idol afford somebody like Mariah Carey? THR wonders if hiring Mimi would anger Simon Cowell and LA Reid. LA served as one of her mentors, overseeing her comeback album in 2005. Mariah was supposed to appear on X Factor last season, but a hurricane kept her on the east coast.
THR sources say that Jennifer Lopez was angling for another raise, while Steven Tyler quit to join Aerosmith on the road:
In addition, reports that Lopez, who earned between $15 and $20 million on Idol, was angling for another raise (her third in as many years) are true, say insiders, while Tyler’s motivation to exit seems to be more music-focused: as a touring artist, he can make better money on the road with Aerosmith and promoting a new album than he would filibustering on a soundstage in Los Angeles.
Contrary to earlier reports, Steven’s departure took Idol off guard, according to THR
Still, the rocker’s departure ultimately caught many in Idol’s extended family off-guard. By most accounts, his announcement wasn’t planned far in advance, but rather, like almost all things Idol, came together at the last-minute. Lopez was more methodical in her selective teasing, spilling a hint of hesitation to NBC’s Today but ultimately giving the big news to her pal, Idol host Ryan Seacrest, who announced it Friday on his radio show.
Idol brass reportedly panicked after the duo quit within a day of each other.
According to other well-placed insiders, in the hours that followed both Tyler’s and Lopez’s announcement, a mild panic seemed to set in for those intimately involved with the show as war room-like meetings behind closed doors were hastily assembled and cell phones beeped nonstop.
But then THR kinda negates their own report, so who knows. These conflicting reports are crazy.
Fox and Fremantle had no comment but one source close to the production disputes the notion that Idol is trimming the fat, labeling the reporting as “inaccurate.”
I think FOX will bite the bullet and hire some high priced stars for Idol. At this point, with the competition so fierce, they really have no choice.
If Randy leaves, there will be 3 spots to fill. One or two of those spots could go to an expensive star, while a spot or two is reserved for an inexpensive, but buzz-worthy new comer like Adam Lambert.
